Energy Efficient Systems

Energy Efficient
System
Electrical Thermal
Electric Power Supply
Fuel & Combustion
System

Transformers Boilers

Electric Motors Furnaces

Steam Distribution
Lighting
System

Air Conditioning &

Waste Heat Recovery
Mechanical
Ventilation (ACMV)

Compressed Air Cogeneration

System
 Air-Conditioning &
Mechanical Ventilation
(ACMV)
 Air-Conditioning & Mechanical
Ventilation (ACMV)
❑ Heat flows naturally from high temperature to low
temperature spaces without requiring any devices.
❑ However, the reverse process of transferring heat from
low temperature conditioned spaces to the high
temperature outdoor ambient air requires a special
device called Air-Conditioning and Mechanical
Ventilation (ACMV) system.
 Purpose of ACMV

❑ The purpose of an Air-Conditioning and Mechanical

Ventilation system is to maintain comfort condition in
the air-conditioned space irrespective of the outdoor
ambient condition.
❑ Comfort condition usually refers to a specific range of
temperature, relative humidity, cleanliness and
distribution of air to meet the comfort requirements
of the occupants in air-conditioned spaces.
 Typical Load Apportioning
Lifts & Others Lifts & Others
7% Hospital 10% Office Building
PABX, Cooling PABX, Office
Multimedia System Equipment,
3% 50% Special Lighting
Hospital
Equipment 10%
20%

Lighting Lighting System Cooling System

System 20%
20% Cooling is 60%

Hotel the largest School

Lifts & Others
PABX,
Multimedia
10% contributor Fans & Blowers
Cooling System
20%
5% 45%
Cold Room
10% Lighting
Systems
20%

Lighting PABX, Office

Systems Cooling System Equipment,
15% 60% Special Lighting
15%
 Basic Cooling Cycle

❑ Refrigerant is the working fluid used in cooling cycle

❑ Two environmentally-friendly refrigerants are R123 and
R134a (ozone depletion potential and global warming
potential are low)
 Basic Cooling Cycle

Compressor:
To increase the pressure of refrigerant vapour from
evaporator low pressure (point-1) to the condenser relatively
high pressure (point-2).
 Basic Cooling Cycle

Condenser:
The condenser is a heat exchanger that rejects heat from
refrigerant vapour of relatively high pressure (point-2) and leaves
as subcooled liquid refrigerant of high pressure (point-3).
 Basic Cooling Cycle

Expansion valve:
To reduce the pressure of liquid refrigerant from the condenser
high pressure (point-3) to the evaporator low pressure (point-4)
as a liquid vapour mixture.
 Basic Cooling Cycle

Evaporator:
The evaporator is a heat exchanger where liquid vapour mixture
of refrigerant of low pressure (point-4) absorbs heat from the
surrounding air or chilled water and then leaves as superheated
refrigerant vapour of low pressure (point-1).
 Heat Transfer Loops in ACMV
System
1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
Indoor air Chilled Refrigerant Condenser Cooling
loop water loop loop water loop tower loop
Heat Transfer Loops in ACMV
System

Indoor air loop: Indoor air is driven by the supply air

fan through a cooling coil, where it transfers its heat to
chilled water. The cool air then cools the building
space.
Heat Transfer Loops in ACMV
System

Chilled water loop: Driven by the chilled water pump,

water returns from the cooling coil to the chiller’s
evaporator to be re-cooled.
Heat Transfer Loops in ACMV
System

Refrigerant loop: Using a phase-change refrigerant,

the chiller’s compressor pumps heat from the chilled
water to the condenser water.
Heat Transfer Loops in ACMV
System

Condenser water loop: Water absorbs heat from the

chiller’s condenser, and the condenser water pump
sends it to the cooling tower.
Heat Transfer Loops in ACMV
System

Cooling tower loop: The cooling tower’s fan drives air

across an open flow of the hot condenser water,
transferring the heat to the outdoors.
Main Components of ACMV
System
❑Chillers – Providing the cooling energy
❑Pumps – Distributing the cooling energy
❑Cooling Towers – Disposing the heat from
the system
❑AHU – Transferring cooling energy to the
closed environment
❑Sub System – Controls, Sensors, Fittings
Vapour-Compression
Refrigeration Systems
❑ The low-pressure refrigerant
evaporates in the evaporator to
produce the cooling effect.
❑ The resulting refrigerant vapour
is compressed to the condenser
pressure by a compressor that
usually consumes electrical
energy.
❑ In the condenser, the high-
pressure refrigerant is
condensed and the resulting
heat is released to the ambient.
❑ The condensed refrigerant is
finally expanded to the
evaporator pressure through an
expansion valve to continue the
cycle.
 Vapour-Absorption
Refrigeration Systems
❑ The compressor is replaced by a
combination of an absorber and
a generator.
❑ In order to accomplish the
function of the compressor,
the absorber-generator units
include a secondary fluid called
the absorbent.
❑ The refrigerant vapour from
the evaporator is absorbed in
the absorber unit, which
operates at a low pressure
close to that of the evaporator.
❑ As the absorption process
evolves the heat of absorption, it
is necessary to cool the absorber
using an external cooling system.
 Vapour-Absorption
Refrigeration Systems
❑ The dilute solution in the
absorber is pumped to the
generator with a solution
pump that requires some
electrical energy input.
❑ The solution in the generator is
heated using an external energy
source, to evolve the refrigerant
out of the solution.
❑ The concentrated solution then
flows back to the absorber
through a pressure reducing
valve.
❑ The refrigerant continues its
Most commercially available systems passage through the rest of the
use lithium bromide as the absorbent cycle in a manner similar to that
and water as the refrigerant of a vapour compression system.
Chillers
 Chillers
❑Chiller is generally a vapor compression
device that transfer heat from one zone to
another.
❑It is a part of centralized air-conditioning
systems and forms the single highest
electricity consumer in building systems.
❑It is further classified according to types of
compressor used as the compressor is the
biggest energy consuming component.
 Types of Chillers
❑Centrifugal Water Cooled – 1000 kWr
➢ Most efficient of chillers
➢ Maintenance is specialized but failure rate is low
❑Screw/Scroll (Water Cooled or Air Cooled) – 500 to 2500 kWr
➢ Easy to install
➢ Maintenance cost higher
➢ Prone to problems due to complication of working
system
❑Reciprocating (Air Cooled) – 100 to 750 kWr
➢ Easiest to maintain
➢ Failure more common due to more working parts
❑Absorption Chillers (Non Vapor Compression)
➢ Works well if heat energy is cheap or a waste stream
from a process
➢ A little tricky in terms of maintenance
 Chiller Power Consumption
Dependent on several key factors:
❑Condenser water supply temperature and flow
➢ High Temperature and low flow reduces heat
transfer ability.
❑Chilled water flow and desired setpoint
➢ Setpoint is the desired supply temperature, in
which if not met, it becomes a serious issue for
the chiller.
❑Refrigerant level and how “clean” it is
➢ Fouled Refrigerant impacts compressor
efficiency.
❑Conditions of condenser tubes
➢ Dirty tubes reduces heat transfer ability.
 Tons of Refrigeration
❑ The cooling effect produced is quantified as tons of
refrigeration (TR) or refrigeration ton (RT)
1 TR = 3024 kCal/hr heat rejected.
❑ The refrigeration TR is assessed as
TR = Q x Cp x (Ti – To) / 3024
Where Q is mass flow rate of coolant in kg/hr
Cp is coolant specific heat in kCal /kg 0C
Ti is inlet temperature of coolant to evaporator
(chiller) in 0C
To is outlet temperature of coolant from evaporator
(chiller) in 0C.
❑ The above TR is also called as chiller tonnage.
Specific Power Consumption & COP
❑ The specific power consumption kW/TR is a useful indicator
of the performance of refrigeration system.
❑ By measuring refrigeration duty performed in TR and the
kiloWatt inputs, kW/TR is used as a reference energy
performance indicator (EnPI).
❑ The theoretical Coefficient of Performance, COP is a
standard measure of refrigeration efficiency of an ideal
refrigeration system - depends on two key system
temperatures, namely, evaporator temperature Te and
condenser temperature Tc with COP being given as:

COP = Te / (Tc - Te)

Specific Power Consumption & COP
But theoretical COP is only a ratio of temperatures, and hence
does not take into account the type of compressor. Hence the
COP normally used in the industry is given by:

where the cooling effect is the difference in enthalpy across the

evaporator and expressed as kW.
 Chiller Efficiency
❑ Chiller efficiency is defined as the magnitude of electric
power consumed by the motor of compressor or chiller
power consumption to produce one unit of cooling effect.
❑ Chiller efficiency in kW/RT:
Energy Saving Measures for Chiller
❑ Improve insulation of pipes and ducts to reduce energy loss.
❑ Use VSD wherever feasible for efficient airflow control for
varying needs.
❑ Replace chiller if efficiency is found to be 0.9 kW/ton or
higher.
❑ Increase indoor room air temperature without sacrificing
comfort in compliance with MS 1525.
❑ Cooler and condenser tubes should be cleaned upon
detection of high fouling factors.
❑ Reduce cooling load requirements by reducing space load,
solar heat gain with the use of window shade/solar control
film.
Pumping Systems
 Pumping Systems
❑Pumps are used in every process that involves
the transfer of liquid from one level of
pressure or static energy to another.
❑20% of total energy generated throughout the
world is consumed by pumps and account for
25% to 50% of energy usage in some industrial
plant operations.
❑Pumps offer high potentials for energy saving
and are considered as the easiest to save
energy as piping can designed accordingly and
pumps can be correctly selected.
 Pumps in ACMV Systems
❑In water-cooled central air-conditioning
systems, two pumps are used:
➢ Chilled water pumps – provide primary
force to overcome pressure loss and
circulate chilled water through evaporator
and cooling coils of AHUs
➢ Condenser water pumps - provide force to
overcome associated pressure loss and
circulate condenser water through
condenser and cooling towers
Central Air-Conditioning Chilled
Water System
 Losses in Pumping Systems
A pressure is needed to make the liquid flow at the
required rate and this must overcome head ‘losses’ in
the system. Losses are of two types: static and friction
head.

Static head is simply the

difference in height of the
supply and destination
reservoirs
Friction head (sometimes
called dynamic head loss) is
the friction loss, on the liquid
being moved, in pipes, valves
and equipment in the system
 System Head
Friction head is
proportional to
square of flow
Static head is
rate
independent of flow rate

Most systems have combination of static and friction heads

Low static head

High static head

 Pump Operating Point
When a pump is installed in a
The performance of a pump
system the effect can be
can be expressed graphically
illustrated graphically by
as head against flow rate. This
superimposing pump and system
graph is called the pump
curves. The operating point will
characteristic curve or head-
always be where the two curves
flow curve
intersect.
 Pump Performance Curve
Pump performance is commonly
presented in the form of a set of
curves of several different
impellers at a particular speed
Impeller, which is the only
moving part, is attached to a
shaft and driven by a motor.
The diffuser (also called as
volute) houses the impeller and
captures and directs the water
off the impeller.
 Effect of Throttling
Energy
saving area

To avoid using
new pump,
point C can be
achieved either
by reducing
pump speed or
trimming the
impeller

Throttle valve causes reduction in flow rate, hence additional

resistance is introduced. System curve shifts from green to red
curves, but efficiency reduces. Operating point shifts from A to
B. To keep 82% efficiency, pump needs to operate at point C.
Energy Loss in Throttling

Desired flow rate

is 68 m3/hr

5 options of
pumps i.e. A to E.

Between pump A
and E, how much
energy loss in
throttling?
Energy Loss in Throttling
Energy Loss in Throttling

130,524
Effect of Speed Variation

Power is proportional
to the cube of speed.
A small reduction in
speed will result in
drastic reduction in
power consumption.
This forms the basis
for energy
conservation in
centrifugal pumps
with varying flow
requirements.
Effect of Impeller Diameter Change

Reduction in impeller
diameter reduces
pump input power.
Diameter changes are
generally limited to
reducing the
diameter to about
75% of the maximum,
i.e. a head reduction
to about 50%. Beyond
this, efficiency is
badly affected.
Pumps in Parallel and Series

Provide energy efficient method of flow

control particularly for systems where static
head is a high proportion of the total.
 Effect of Variable Speed Drive

Pump speed
adjustments provide
the most efficient
means of controlling
pump flow. By reducing
pump speed, less
energy is imparted to
the fluid and less
energy needs to be
throttled or bypassed.

BEP – Best Efficiency Point

BHP – Brake Horsepower
 Energy Saving Measures for Pumping
Systems
❑ Select PVC /ABS piping if cost permits – smoother surface,
less friction
❑ Reduce number of valves
❑ Use 45 Deg instead of 90 Deg bends
❑ Use good insulation for chilled water piping
❑ Avoid balancing valves as they cause 30-40% losses in energy
❑ Operate pumps near best efficiency point
❑ Replace old pumps by energy efficient pumps
❑ In the case of over designed pump, provide variable speed
drive, or downsize / replace impeller or replace with correct
sized pump for efficient operation
❑ Use booster pumps for small loads requiring higher pressures
❑ Repair seals and packing to minimize water loss by dripping
Example of Piping Selection

Layout pipe with

the shortest route
as target, and
subsequently place
the equipment.
This will reduce
friction head.
Air Handling Unit (AHU)
& Fans
 Air Handling Unit (AHU)

❑ In buildings with central air-conditioning systems,

air is treated (cooled and dehumidified) in air
handling units (AHUs) and then distributed to the
various parts of the building to control the relative
humidity and temperature of the spaces.

❑ Components include fans, cooling coils, filters,

dampers and ducting system.
 Air Handling Systems

Chilled water pumps supply chilled water

from the chilled water system to the
cooling coil of the AHUs. Fans blow a
mixture of the outdoor fresh air and part of the return air through the
cooling coil. As a result, the air is cooled and dehumidified and then
distributed to the air-conditioning spaces by overcoming the pressure
losses of the ducting systems to maintain the comfort conditions.
 Fans
❑ Fans generate a pressure to move air (or gases) against
a resistance caused by ducts, dampers, or other
components in air handling systems.
❑ The fan rotor receives energy from a rotating shaft and
transmits it to the air.
❑ Fans fall into two general categories: centrifugal flow
and axial flow.

Centrifugal fan Axial fan

Fan Types
Common Types of Fans
 Fan Characteristic Curve
❑Fan characteristic curve is a performance curve for the
particular fan under a specific set of conditions.
❑Typically a curve will be developed for a given set of
conditions usually including: fan volume flow rate, static
pressure, input power and efficiency.

Forward curved Backward curved Radial

 System Characteristic Curve
❑ The plot of the total pressure drop of a ducting system
versus volume flow rate is known as system curve.
❑ When air flows through the ducting systems, there is a
pressure drop due to the friction losses and the dynamic
losses.
❑ The friction losses in the
ducts are caused by the
viscous effects of the flowing
air, dynamic losses are due
to the fittings such as
dampers, elbows,
converging flow fittings,
diverging flow fittings, tee-
joints etc
 Fan Operating Point
❑ The intersection of the system curve and the fan curve
defines the fan operating point.
❑ Fan operating point is at "A" where the two curves (N1 and
SC1) intersect. This operating point is at air flow Q1
delivered against pressure P1.
❑ Two methods can
be used to reduce
air flow from Q1 to
Q2: (1) restrict the
air flow using
damper – point B
(2) reduce the
speed – point C.
 Effect of Partial Closing of Damper
Even though the flow rate of
air is decreased, the total
pressure loss of the ducting
system is increased due to
the closing of the damper.
Hence, the overall power
consumption of the fan will
remain almost the same and
no significant energy savings
is achieved.
 Effect of Fan Speed Reduction

As the flow rate of air as

well as the total pressure
drop of the ducting system
drop due to the reduction
of the speed of the
impeller, overall power
consumption of the fan
will drop remarkably.
 Fans in Parallel and Series

❑ Parallel configuration is
suitable for high flow
rate applications.
❑ Series configuration is
suitable for ducting
systems of high Fans in parallel
pressure loss.

Fans in series
Fans in Parallel and Series

Fans in parallel – total

flow rate equals
summation of flow
rate of operating fans

Fans in series –
pressure of flowing
air increases in each
fan
 Affinity Laws

For constant impeller diameter, the power consumption of

the fan will decrease if the rotational speed of the fan
reduces.
 Losses in Filter

When the filters are clean,

the pressure drop across
the filters is low and air can
flow easily through the
filters. As dust is
accumulated in the filters,
the pressure drop across
them increases, which
leads to the reduction of
air flow.
 Flow Control Strategies
❑ Flow control is needed in case of when the fan is
oversized or a speed change is required.
❑ Methods that can be used: pulley change, damper
control, inlet guide vane control, variable speed drive
and series and parallel operation of fans.

The simplest way to change the

speed is with a pulley change. For
this, the fan must be driven by a
motor through a v-belt system.
E.g. for pulley size reduction from
8” to 6”, the power reduction is 12
kW.
 Flow Control Strategies
Damper control:
❑ Move system characteristic
curve
❑ No change in speed
❑ Limited amount of adjustment
❑ Not energy-efficient
Inlet guide vane:
❑ Guide vanes are curved sections that
lay against the inlet of the fan when
they are open.
❑ When they are closed, guide vanes
pre-swirl the air entering the fan
housing, thus changes the angle at
which the air is presented to the fan
blades, which, in turn, changes the
characteristics of the fan curve.
 Performance Comparison of Flow
Control Methods

VSD is the most

energy efficient but
not economical for
systems, which have
infrequent flow
variations

Under part load conditions of the air-conditioning spaces, the

reduction of fan power consumptions using discharge
dampers and inlet guide vanes are much lesser in comparison
to the variable speed drive systems, which are able to follow
closely the affinity law of “cubic” fan power relationship.
 Duct
❑Duct is proportional to internal
surface friction factor and
square of air speed
❑Velocity inside the duct should
be considered to design
properly duct size (not fixed)
❑Lower velocity means less
energy losses and better noise
control
❑Metal sheet has 40% lower
friction compared to fibre glass
 Energy Saving Measures for Fans
❑ Improve insulation of duct to reduce leakage and energy
loss.
❑ Reduce air leak from inlet/outlet side of fan.
❑ Conduct duct cleaning.
❑ Use VSD wherever feasible for efficient air flow control for
varying needs.
❑ Option of energy efficient flat belts, or, cogged raw edged V
belts, in place of conventional V belt systems, for reducing
transmission losses.
❑ Change of metallic / Glass reinforced Plastic (GRP) impeller
by the more energy efficient hollow FRP impeller with
aerofoil design, in case of axial flow fans, where significant
savings have been reported.
❑ Adopting inlet guide vanes in place of discharge damper
control.
Cooling Towers
 Cooling Towers
❑The primary task of a cooling tower is to reject heat
into the atmosphere.
❑Main components of cooling towers are water spray
systems, packing materials (known as “fill”) and
fans.
Cooling Tower System Configuration

Cooling tower for

central air-
conditioning chilled
water system

Cooling tower for

cooling of industrial
processes
 Cooling Tower Operation
Warm and humid air
Fill to
facilitate Louvers to
heat equalize
transfer Fan
air flow
into the fill
Ambient Ambient
air air

Cold water sent

back to
condenser

The warm water flows as a thin film over the packing materials.
Ambient air is induced or forced through the cooling tower by
the fans. Heat is transferred from the warm water to the
flowing air as sensible and latent heat. Finally, the cold water is
accumulated at the basin of the cooling tower.
 Cooling Tower Performance
❑ “Range” is the
difference between
the cooling tower
water inlet and outlet
temperature.
❑ “Approach” is the
difference between
the cooling tower
outlet cold water
temperature and
ambient wet bulb
temperature.
❑ Cooling tower effectiveness (in percentage) is the ratio of
range, to the ideal range, i.e. = Range / (Range + Approach).
 Cooling Tower Performance
❑ Increasing the range as a result of added heat load
requires an increase in the tower size.
❑ The closer the approach to the wet bulb temperature,
the bigger the size of the cooling tower.
❑ Usually, cooling towers are designed for the approach
temperature of about 5oF or 2.8oC.
Effect of oversized cooling:
➢ The heat transfer surface area of the cooling tower is
increased, hence the air flow rate can be reduced, leading
to the reduction of cooling tower fan power consumption.
➢ Help to improve the efficiency of the chillers due to the
supply of lower condenser water temperature.
➢ However, first cost of the oversized cooling tower will be
higher.
 Optimization of Cooling Tower
Performance
❑ Power consumption of the cooling towers can be
optimised by varying the capacity of the cooling
towers.
❑ The capacity of the cooling tower can be modulated by
varying the air flow rate by: (a) fan staging and (b)
variable speed fans.
❑ In the fan staging systems, few fans of the cooling
towers are turned on or off based on the actual
changes in heat rejection load.
❑ In the variable speed fan systems, the speed of the
cooling tower fans is modulated using the variable speed
drives (VSDs).
Optimization of Cooling Tower
Performance
The variable speed
fan systems
contribute
significant savings
to cooling tower fan
power consumption
under part load
operation since
power consumption
of the fan is
proportional to the
cube of the fan
speed.
 Efficiency and Cooling Tower

❑The cooler the condenser water, the more efficient

the chiller becomes
➢ Reduction of 2 Deg C of approach temperature
saves up to 7% of compressor power usage
❑Larger the face area, better heat transfer and
lower fan power consumption
❑Good water treatment – means less fouling in
condenser tubes at the chiller side
Energy Saving Measures for Cooling
Tower
❑ Ensure good flow through infills
❑ Clean infills is important – thus improving heat
rejection rate of the system
❑ Correct fan angles – check vibrations etc because
bad airflow means inefficient heat transfer
❑ Constant checks on bearings and belts
❑ Avoid blocking inlet and outlet airflow
❑ Cover water basins to minimise algae growth that
contributes to fouling
❑ Correct excessive and/or uneven fan blade tip
clearance and poor fan balance
Air Compressors
 Air Compressors
❑ An air compressor is a device that converts power
(using an electric motor, diesel or gasoline
engine, etc.) into potential energy stored in
pressurized air i.e. compressed air.
❑ Compressed air units ranging from 5 horsepower
(hp) to over 50,000 hp.
❑ Only 10-30% of energy reaches the point of end-
use, and balance 70-90% of energy is lost in the
form of waste heat, friction, noise and misuse.
 Compression of Air
• The supplied electrical energy is converted in the
following scale:
• Approximately 10% is compressed to the air energy, and
the remaining 90% to heat, ~ 85% of which can be
recovered in a heat exchanger (oil cooler )
• Remaining ~ 5% of the energy is radiated as heat to the
environment. OC
5%

100% Compressor 10%

5%

85%
Compressed Air System
 Industrial Use of Compressed Air
System
➢ To operate reciprocating tools e.g. in riveting, hammers,
paving breakers, diggers ,etc.
➢ To operate rotating tools e.g. air motors, drills, reamers,
grinders, wrenches, etc.
➢ In vehicle propulsion (compressed air vehicle).
➢ Compressed Air Energy Storage.
➢ In Air Braking Systems: railway braking
➢ Air-start systems in engines.
➢ In Operation & Control of valves & instruments.
➢ Use of air cushion to reduce friction to minimum level in
hovercrafts and air lift conveyors, pneumatic elevators
 Compressor Types
Increase the
Increase the air
pressure of the
velocity, which is
gas by reducing Type of then converted to
the volume compressor increased pressure
at the outlet

Positive
Dynamic
displacement

Reciprocating Rotary Centrifugal Axial

 Basic Principles of Compression
• There are two generic principles for the compression of air (or
gas):
• Positive displacement compressors include, for example, reciprocating
(piston) compressors, orbital (scroll) compressors and different types of
rotary compressors (screw, tooth, vane). In positive displacement
compression, the air is drawn into one or more compression chambers,
which are then closed from the inlet. Gradually the volume of each
chamber decreases and the air is compressed internally. When the
pressure has reached the designed build-in pressure ratio, a port or
valve is opened and the air is discharged into the outlet system due to
continued reduction of the compression chamber’s volume.

• In dynamic compression, air is drawn between the blades on a rapidly

rotating compression impeller and accelerates to a high velocity. The gas
is then discharged through a diffuser, where the kinetic energy is
transformed into static pressure. Most dynamic compressors are
turbocompressors with an axial or radial flow pattern. All are designed
for large volume flow rates
 Compressor Type
❑ Packaged rotary air compressors are most commonly used
because of their low noise levels and maintenance
costs. There are different types of packaged rotary air
compressor, including:
rotary screw, which is the most widely used type as it is
reliable, efficient and only needs basic routine maintenance &
rotary sliding vane.
❑ Reciprocating compressors are often used for small
industrial applications. Their specific energy
consumption is equal to or better than rotary
compressors. However, they can suffer from reduced
performance levels if not maintained properly.
❑ Centrifugal compressors are generally used for applications
that need a high volume of air. At high flow rates, the
centrifugal compressor is by far the most energy
efficient.
Compressor Operating Efficiency
 Components of Compressed Air
System
❑ Compressed air systems usually consist of the following
components: compressor, air receiver tank, aftercooler, filter, dryer,
condensate trap, distribution system
❑ The compressor produces compressed air at the required
pressure.
❑ The air receiver tank acts as a reservoir to store and cool the
compressed air and helps make sure the system can cope
with variations in demand.
❑ The aftercooler, filter and dryer all treat the air at different
points in the system. They remove impurities such as
water, dirt and oil from the air taken in by the compressor,
as well as those added by the compressor.
❑ Compressed air may be fed to various uses on a site via
a distribution system. These distribution systems can be
relatively straightforward or very complex.
Compressed Air System
Compressor Capacity & Efficiency
Capacity of a Compressor:
➢ The capacity of a compressor is represented as Free Air
Delivery (FAD), i.e. air at atmospheric conditions at any
specific location
➢ It represents the actual rate of volume of compressed air
and delivered at atmospheric conditions represented as
cubic meter per minute (cmm)

Compressor Efficiency:
➢ Most practical to compare efficiencies: specific power
consumption (kW / volume flow rate)
➢ Measures of compressor efficiency: isothermal, volumetric,
adiabatic, mechanical
 Compressor Efficiency
Isothermal efficiency

Isothermal efficiency =
Actual measured input power / Isothermal power

Isothermal power (kW) = P1 x Q1 x loger / 36.7

P1 = Absolute intake pressure kg/cm2

Q1 = Free air delivered m3/hr
r = Pressure ratio P2/P1
 Compressor Efficiency
Volumetric efficiency

Volumetric efficiency
= Free air delivered m3/min / Compressor displacement

Compressor displacement = Π x D2/4 x L x S x χ x n

D = Cylinder bore, meter

L = Cylinder stroke, meter
S = Compressor speed rpm
χ = 1 for single acting and 2 for double acting cylinders
n = No. of cylinders
 Energy Cost of Compressed Air
Systems
▪ In just one year, energy cost of a compressed air
system could exceed the cost of the compressor itself.
▪ Over a period of ten years, this could consume 70% of
the overall costs.
Compressed Air Cost in Perspective

Costs over 10 Years

12%
12%
Electricity
Maintenance
76%
Equipment
 Energy Efficiency Opportunities for
Compressed Air Systems
1. Location
• Significant influence on energy use
• Performance improves with cool, clean, dry air at
intake
• The lower inlet temperature to compressor results
into lower energy input
 Energy Efficiency Opportunities for
Compressed Air Systems
2. Elevation
• Higher altitude = lower volumetric efficiency
Energy Efficiency Opportunities for
Compressed Air Systems
3. Air Intake
• Keep intake air free from contaminants,
dust or moist
• Keep intake air temperature low
Every 4 oC rise in inlet air temperature = 1%
higher in energy consumption

• Keep ambient temperature low when

an intake air filter is located at the
compressor
Energy Efficiency Opportunities for
Compressed Air Systems
4. Pressure Drops in Air Filter

• Install filter in cool location or draw

air from cool location
• Keep pressure drop across intake air
filter to a minimum
Every 250 mm WC (water column)
pressure drop = 2% higher in
energy consumption
Energy Efficiency Opportunities for
Compressed Air Systems
5. Use Inter and After Coolers
• Inlet air temperature rises at each
stage of multi-stage machine
• Inter coolers: heat exchangers that
remove heat between stages
• After coolers: reduce air temperature
after final stage
 Energy Efficiency Opportunities for
Compressed Air Systems
6. Pressure Settings
• Higher pressure
• More power by compressors
• Lower volumetric efficiency
• Operating above operating pressures
• Waste of energy
• Excessive wear
“ A reduction in the delivery pressure by 1 bar in a
compressor would reduce the power consumption by 6 – 10 %.”
Energy Efficiency Opportunities for
Compressed Air Systems
7. Minimizing Leakage
• Consequences
• Energy waste: 20 – 30% of output
• Drop in system pressure
• Shorter equipment life

• Common leakage areas

• Couplings, hoses, tubes, fittings
• Pressure regulators
• Open condensate traps, shut-off valves
• Pipe joints, disconnects, thread sealants
Energy Efficiency Opportunities for
Compressed Air Systems

8. Condensate Removal
• Condensate formed as after-cooler reduces
discharge air temperature
• Install condensate separator trap to remove
condensate
Energy Efficiency Opportunities for
Compressed Air Systems
9. Controlled usage
• Do not use for low-pressure
applications: agitation, combustion air,
pneumatic conveying
• Use blowers instead

10. Compressor controls

• Automatically turns off compressor
when not needed
 Leak Reduction
• The sources of leakage are numerous, but the most
frequent causes are:
• Manual condensate drain valves left open.
• Failed auto drain valves.
• Shut-off valves left open.
• Leaking hoses and couplings.
• Use of jubilee clips that develop leaks.
• Leaking pipes, flanges and pipe joints.
• Strained flexible hoses.
• Leaking pressure regulators.
• Air-using equipment left in operation when not needed.
 Leak Reduction
• There are three main ways to check for leaks:
• Listen – run the compressor without using any air tools
or equipment. Make sure that there is as little
background noise as possible and then walk slowly
around the system listening for hissing or rasping
sounds. Check all joints, flanges and valves carefully.
• Look – make up a simple solution of soapy water. Run
the system without using air tools or equipment. Apply
the solution to all pipework (especially joints) and then
look to see where it bubbles up, indicating air leakage.
• Detect – hire or purchase ultrasonic leak detection
equipment from the compressed air system supplier.
 Placement and Design
• The compressed air plant should be installed to
facilitate distribution system routing in large
installations with long piping. Service and
maintenance can be facilitated by installing the
compressed air plant near auxiliary equipment such
as pumps and fans; even a location close to the
boiler room may be beneficial.
• It is important that the compressor installation has a
layout that is service friendly and flexible to
accommodate future expansion. The minimum area at
service points in front of the machine electrical cabinets
should be
1200 mm
Energy Saving Measures for
Compressed Air Systems
 Energy Efficient Systems
Energy Efficient
System
Electrical Thermal
Electric Power Supply
Fuel & Combustion
System

Transformers Boilers

Electric Motors Furnaces

Steam Distribution
Lighting
System

Air Conditioning &

Waste Heat Recovery
Mechanical
Ventilation (ACMV)

Compressed Air Cogeneration

System
 Online Quiz 7

❑ Use smart phone/tablet to browse

https://kahoot.it
❑ Type Game PIN number and enter
❑ For nickname, use your actual name or matrix
number or combination of both